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Flying Fox Advisory Committee Meeting Opened to the Public

On Wednesday, 5 June, 2019 the Charters Towers Regional Council’s Flying Fox Advisory Committee Meeting was opened to the public with fifteen (15) people from the community, in addition to the Committee members, attending for the two (2) hour meeting.

The Meeting was held between 12 noon and 2:00p.m. to enable people wanting to attend during their lunch break.

Mayor Liz Schmidt opened the meeting with an overview of the Committee’s work to date and thanked the Katter Party in advocating on the community’s behalf and the Queensland Government for funding a three-year, $2.7 million research package, to explore alternative management strategies for problem urban flying-fox roosts in North Queensland, a portion of this funding has been provided for Charters Towers.

A list of the activities that have been tried and tested by Council over the last 17 years were provided for information.

Presentations were provided by Dr David Westcott, CSIRO Land and Water and Mr Lindsay Delzoppo, Northern Director, Director of Wildlife Operations, Department of Environment and Science including complications with management of flying foxes; hurdles to overcome eg. breeding periods; Department of Environment and Science’s direction with project work; Grant Program; Survey – what have been the results.

“Public meetings have been organised both at night and during the day, with attendances low” “Further meetings of the Committee will be open to the public in the future and I encourage attendance when such meetings are called.” Mayor Schmidt said.

Several actions arose from this meeting included:

Suggestion that a medical practitioner be invited to sit on the Advisory Committee;

Request that the surveys and grant applications distributed to people living in the proximity of Lissner Park, be extended to people living on Racecourse Road (flight path of flying foxes);

Investigations currently occurring in respect to the possible removal of Heritage Listed trees from Lissner Park,

Suggestion of trial of covering the trees in Lissner Park with netting;

Planning for dispersal actions in April 2020 to be discussed at the Committee’s July meeting.

Mayor Liz Schmidt thanked members of the community for attending the meeting and advised that she shares the concerns of the community together with that of the State Member for Traegar, Mr Robbie Katter MP that action is required in respect to the dispersal of the Flying Foxes.

“Robbie Katter’s Office, Bob Katter’s Office and my office are always open to hear the concerns of our constituents either through correspondence or personal attendance” Mayor Schmidt said.